Draft:Blue Eye Disease

Other names: La-Piedad-Michoacan Paramyxovirus Infection

Description

Blue eye disease is a viral disease that is commonly identified by encephalitis which is inflammation of the brain, pneumonia, and respiratory diseases in piglets. It also includes reproductive failure in adult pigs, and rarely identifies with corneal opacity which is an eye disorder where the cornea becomes scarred.

Etiology

Blue eye disease is caused by the porcine rubulavirus where the disease first emerged in 1980 throughout parts of Mexico including La Piedad, Michoacan, Jalisco and Guanajuato.

Location

Blue eye disease usually occurs in swine from areas of Australia, Israel, Japan, and parts of North America including Canada and Mexico where it first originated.

Clinical Signs

Blue eye disease typically begins in piglets that are between 2-21 days old. It usually begins with a sudden onset of fever, arched back, or depression. The disease then progresses with neurologic symptoms including weakness, ataxia, muscle tremors, abnormal posture, and rigidity to their hind legs. Some other symptoms that are also associated with this disease are conjunctivitis, blindness, nystagmus, constipation and diarrhea. 90 percent of pigs that become affected with the disease often die. Usually in the first 48 hours of contracting the disease most die however they can die as later as 4-6 days after the illness takes course. Piglets who are 30 days or older can often develop blueing of the pupils in their eyes. They also develop moderate symptoms of fever, coughing, loss of appetite, sneezing, and corneal opacity. In most adult pigs reproductive failure is seen with symptoms that include decreased conception rates, abortions, stillbirths, epididymitis, orchitis, and decreased semen quality in boar pigs.

Diagnosis

Blue eye disease outbreaks can happen throughout the year but are most common during spring and summer months of April to July. The mortality rate usually rises and falls and between a two to nine week time frame. After the epidemic subsides no more cases present themselves unless new susceptible pigs are introduced into the farm. In severe outbreaks of the disease there usually is a presumptive diagnosis can be made. However, for official confirmation can be made through serological tests done in laboratories.

Treatment

There is no official treatment course for those infected with blue eye disease.